Air-heating attachment for fireplaces



Dec. 7 1926. 1,609,693

' J. M. CESA AIR HEATING ATTACHMENT FOR FIREFLACES Filed Feb. 11, 1926 Fig. 1

16 INVENTOR JUM. 0936i BY G%.M%

Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES V 1,509,693 PATENT OFFICE.

,JOSEPH M. GESA, OF ANTIOCH, CALIFORNIA.

AIR-HEATING ATTACHMENT FOB FIREPLACES.

Application filed February This invention relates to improvements in devices for heating a body of enclosed air to be used in heating different rooms by means of afire built in an ordinary open fireplace. Y

The present invention particularly represents an improvement over the structure shown in my application for patent filed March 9th, 1925, Serial No. 14,116, my principal object now being to provide an apparatus for the purpose of a simpler nature and so constructed that a greater body of air is exposedsimultaneously to the action of the fire and for a longer time, over what was possible with the previous device and without increasing the size of the air container. i I

As a result I have found from actual 'experience that I am able to heat'an entire house having a considerable number of rooms by meansof a fire of ordinary size in .a single open fireplace.

Another object of the present invention is to arrange the apparatus in the fireplace so that gas, electric or other heat producing means may be used to heat the air instead of building acoal or wood fire.

A further object of the inventionis to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In" the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalviewsz' v, Fig. 1 is a sectionalrelevation of an ordinary fireplace showingmy improved air heating device installed therein.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the air drum detached."

Fig 3 isa front view of the fireplace, [with the folding doors'closed. W

Referring now'more particularly to the charactersof reference on the drawings, the fireplace A which is of standard construction comprises as usuala foundation structure 1 having an ash pit 2, which is sub stantially covered over at about the level of the floor 3 of the building to form the firesupporting surface of the fire lace. The fireplace has a vertical back wal 4 extending upwardly from the foundation to join 11, 1926. Serial No. 87,516.

the chimney 5, and a front wall 6 projecting downwardly from the chimney a short distance so as to leave a large front opening as is customary.

My air heating attachment which is built into the fireplace during its erection, comprises a vertically disposed rectangular drum 7 which rests on the floor of the fireplace and abuts against the back wall 4, this drum extending for the full width of the fireplace. The drum extends upwardly to a point near the chimney, at which point it'is formed with a horizontal and forwardly extending portion 8 which projects across the chimney. From the front end of the.

portion 8, which is some distance back of the front wall 6, the drum projects downwardly for a certain distance, as at 9, at a slight outward angle, the last named portion preferably tapering somewhat in thickness from the top to the botto1n,and the drum terminating in a peak which extends the full width of the fireplace, This peak is a suflicient distance; from the floor ofthe fireplace to enable a fire of reasonable dimensions being built under the drum with out interfering with the'draft or with the radiation of heatfrom thefire into the room.

The drum has a longitudinal 'partition'10 which extends for the full width of the drum from the bottom of the same to a point portion 8 of the drum to provide communi-' cation between the-firearea below said drum and the chimney above the same, this flue being normally closed by a damper 18 controlledby a pull rod 13*.

A damper 14 of ordinary characteroperated from the front ofthe fireplace'by a pull handle 1501' similar control member, is

arranged to close'the opening between the front wall 6 and the drum at'the top there short of the peak in the portion 9.'- This of. By regulating the damper the size of' this opening may of course be adjusted at will to suit different conditions.

An air intake pipe 16 is connected to the Wide drum compartment 11 at the bottom thereof, said pipe leading downwardly through the foundation 1 and being connected at its lower end to the discharge of a power driven blower 17 ot' suitable character.

An outlet pipe 18 leads downwardly from the bottom of the narrow compartment 12, in offset relation to the pipe 16, laterals 19 extending from said pipe 18 under the flooringfil to the difi erent rooms to be heated; Floor or base-board registers 20 project upwardly from these laterals at desired points in said difi'erent' rooms.

A rigidshutter 21 is mounted in connection with the outer tires of the portion 9 of the drum for *vertical Sliding movement thereon; the shutter being guided in such movement by flanges at the sides of the drum. The shutter is of such a height as to project'to the floor while still being engaged with the member 9 so as to completely shut otlthe fire area inwardly of said member 9 if desired. The shutter may also be raised so asto be substantially level with the bottom of the member 9 or to intermediate points; being heldat any desiredposition by a clamping screw 23 mounted on the member 9 and passing through a vertical slot 24: in theflshutter.

hen the shutter is down, the drum is completely enclosed, and an electric heater which requires no air, may ,beplaced in the enclosed area to heat the air passing through the drum and thus utilize the great majority of heat generated by such heater for air heating purposes. It a gas burner or the like is used which requires some air, the shutter may be raised just suflicient to provide the necessary ventilation, while confining themajority of heat generated by the burner. In this case the products of com bastion of such burner pass up through the tlue 13. If an ordinary wood or coal tire is used the shutter is raised all the way and the damper it is opened In all cases, the damper l independently controlled may be necessary to take care of any gases etc. which may be present and which tend to collect at the top of the drum.

In operation with any kind of heat the air is blown through the pipe 16 into the chamber 11, through which it passes for the full extent or": the drum until it reaches the end of the partition wall 10 at the outer peak of the drum. The air then enters the chamber 32 and then passes around the same to the discharge pipe 18, being subjected during such trave ing to the adjacent heated outer walls of the drum. Owing to the reduced area of the chamber 12 compared to that of the chimney 1.1, the air when enteringthe former is retarded in speed. This causes the air to be subjected to the heatfor a greater length of time than would otherwise be the case. i

The walls of the compartment 11, while always relatively cool compared to those ot the chamber 12 of course finally become heated also so that by the time the a r passes into the discharge pipe 18 said air is in a highly heated condition. Owing to the peculiar shape of the drum the heat from the fire concentrated between three angled portions thereof, providing a very high heated ei'iiciency. ,The flue 13 may be used to carry oil a certain amount of the gases, while the majority of the products of combustiom it a wood or coal tire is used, pass to the trout of the drum and up past the outside of th'esame through the damper controlled openingto the chimney. Both outer walls of the portion't) of the drum are there fore subjected to a continuous heat which further makes for great heating etliciency. The drum being of metal, the heated condition of the walls oil said drum which face the room in which the fireplace is located, aids oi course in retlectingthe heat from the fire into the room. l M

In order to close the front of the fireplace completely when desired, vertically folding shutters 25, in addition to the shutter 21, may be mounted in i th e ltorm ott wo units as shown in Fig. 3, the opposite end shutter of eaclrunit being hinged to the adjacent side of the fireplace;

Fromthe foregoing description it will be readily seen thatl have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

hilethis specification sets forth detail the present, and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail in be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims. Having thus described myinvention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is z?- 1. An air heating attachment tor the places comprising an air drum mounted in i and extending across the fireplace, said drum comprising a vertical portion at the back of the fireplace, a horizontal portion project-ing torwardlytroii i theltop ot' the vertical portion, and: a ,third portion projecting downwardly from the front of the horizontal portion and terminating short of the floorof the fireplace; a partition in the drum dividing the same iiito two transverse compartments, partition arranged to provide air passage means between the two compartments adjacent the bottom of the last named drum portion, and intake and discharge connected to, the bottoin of the first named drulnport ioil to communicat-e with there spective compartments.

'2. An air heating attachment for areplaces comprising'an air drum mounted in and extending across the fireplace, a partition dividing said drum into two transverse compartments having communication with each other at one end; the compartment adjacent the wall of the drum nearest the back of the fireplace being wider than the other compartment, an intake pipe connected to the Wider compartment at the end thereof farthest from the point of communication of the compartments with each other, and a discharge pipe connected to the corresponding end of the other compartment.

3. An air heating attachment for fireplaces comprising an air drum mounted in and extending across the fireplace, said drum comprising a vertical portion in the back of the fireplace, a horizontal portion projecting forwardly from the top of the vertical portion, and a third portion projecting downwardlyfrom the front of the horizontal portion and terminating short of the floor of the fireplace; intake and outlet pasages to and from the drum, a flue through the horizontal portion of the drum separated from the interior of the drum, damper means in said flue, a vertically movable shutter to extend from the floor to the third drum portion, and arranged to be raised from the floor, and means for holding the shutter in any desired position. r

4. An air heating attachment for fireplaces comprising an air drum mounted in and extending across the fireplace, said drum including a vertical portion at the back of the fireplace, a vertical partition extending longitudinally in the drum to divide the same into two compartments, the partitionbeing arranged to provide communication between the compartments at their outer ends, and intake and discharge members connected to the two compartments respectively at the bottom thereof.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOSEPH M; OESA. 

